CCW Reciprocity Passes House Judiciary, Could Be On Fast Track

By Dave Workman

Passage of the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act by the House Judiciary Committee this week could put that legislation on a fast track, according to USA Today, which suggested that the full House could take up the measure within the next week, and certainly by the end of this year.

But that’s only part of it. If it passes the House, which it most likely will largely along party lines, H.R. 38 goes to the Senate. There it is going to encounter stiff resistance from career gun prohibitionists representing the states of New Jersey, New York, California, Washington, Oregon, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Maryland. Ardent anti-gunners including Democrats Charles Schumer, Dianne Feinstein, Cory Booker and Richard Blumenthal will almost certainly parrot the talking points of gun control lobbying organizations that have been fighting this legislation since it was introduced in January.

Those arguments were repeated ad nauseum during the House Judiciary mark-up session Wednesday. If passed, critics assert, it will “gut state gun laws.” It will allow armed criminals to cross state lines with hidden guns” (as if they don’t already do that).

There was no small amount of irony in the final party-line vote count: 19-11. Maybe that’s a good omen.

Another consideration is that the 2018 mid-term elections are less than a year away, and there will be some Senate seats that are considered vulnerable. Considering how gun owner turnout in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania threw the presidency to Donald Trump, Democrats from those states may not want to give those same people a reason to descend on the polls next November, and voting against their gun rights is a sure way to get the kind of attention that translates to payback.

Senate Republicans need to take a lesson from the House on another level. This legislation gathered dust for nearly 11 months. The bill came up for a committee vote rather as a surprise to lots of people, unless one considers what happened only days before.

Perennial anti-gun Michigan Congressman John Conyers resigned his post as ranking member on the Judiciary committee in the midst of a sexual impropriety scandal. Without him to lead opposition — he wasn’t even in town, having gone home to Detroit where he was reportedly in a hospital suffering from stress — maybe Republicans figured it was time to strike.

It’s not likely that key anti-gun Democrats in the Senate will be taking a powder when they have a chance to block a pro-gun rights bill.

There are an estimated 16.5 million Americans licensed to carry concealed sidearms, so there is considerable interest in the outcome of this fight. On the campaign trail last year, Trump indicated his support for reciprocity.

Black Friday Record For NICS Checks

While the House Judiciary vote on concealed carry reciprocity gave anti-gunners heartburn, the FBI’s revelation that Black Friday background checks with the National Instant Check System (NICS) set a new record might make them crazy.

As reported by Fox News, among other news agencies, there were 203,086 requests for gun background checks. That eclipsed last year’s 185,713 NICS checks on Black Friday in 2016.

There is a caveat, of course. Not every check signifies a firearm sale. On the other hand, one background check could also account for a multiple sale, as noted in the Fox report. Suffice to say that there was a lot of interest in gun sales on the day after Thanksgiving, and that could provide a jolt to what has been described as lethargic gun sales over the past few months.

One publication, The Tribunist, asserted in a headline that “Americans Bought Enough Guns on Black Friday to Arm the Marine Corps – Again!”

Ruger Super Redhawk In 10mm

Speaking of gun sales, Ruger just announced that its Super Redhawk revolver is now chambered for the formidable 10mm Auto cartridge, so it’s a safe bet revolver fans will be asking their local retailers about this one.

According to Ruger, this latest Super Redhawk incarnation has a 6.5-inch barrel, cut with six grooves on a 1:16-inch right hand twist. Built from stainless steel with a satin finish, this six-shot wheelgun has contrasting black front and rear sights. The rear is adjustable and the front ramp has a red insert.

When it first came along, the 10mm Auto was bragged up by several people as the semi-auto equivalent of the .41 Magnum, although time has moderated those views so now the round is considered to nestle between the .41 and .357 Magnum, but that’s nothing to dismiss.

Lots of people like the 10mm for hunting deer, hogs and other mid-size game. It’s a flat shooting cartridge that is well-matched by the Super Redhawk platform.

Ruger says this revolver has a triple-locking cylinder (front, rear and bottom), and it comes with three full moon clips that can double as speed loaders. The Super Redhawk has a rubber grip with an internal recoil cushion and hardwood inserts, and it has integral scope mounts machined into the barrel rib.

Hitting the scale at 54 ounces, it is 12 inches overall and carries an MSRP of $1,159.

Don’t Take A Replica To A Real Gunfight

Whatever else a shoplifting suspect in Arlington, Texas might be facing, he’s lucky there’s no statute about being stupid, though some of his other activities probably include that offense.

A man identified as William Paul Dodd allegedly called police to advise them that he was wanted, and that he was armed, and lawmen better look out. According to KDFW/Fox4 News, this guy was armed, alright, with a BB gun.

So equipped, he went to a mall and allegedly shoplifted two pairs of Ray Ban sunglasses. But it was Dodd’s bad luck that working a security job off duty was an Arlington police officer, and he had a real sidearm. The officer yelled at the suspect, who reportedly turned and aimed the fake gun in his direction. Big mistake.

Turns out the suspect is a convicted felon and he had racked up ten prior arrests in Arlington. He was wanted for having filed a false police report.